Starfox: Eagle Rising
by Falkner McLeod
Summary: Shortly after the events of Starfox Adventures, Fox McCloud and his team of mercenaries uncover pieces of their past that would have best remained forgotten...And wind up caught in the middle of a conflict with higher stakes than the Great Lylat Wars...
1. Timeline

_This is my first story, so please be merciful... _

_All things Starfox are owned and copyrighted by Nintendo...May God have mercy on their souls...This story, however, is mine, so don't even think about it._

_I actually started this story about a year ago, and never finished it. If I get readers, I'll pick it up where I left off, around chapter six. Until then, I'll be uploading a chapter a day (which should take us through Friday)._

_Here's my timeline. I don't even attempt to reconcile it with Nintendo's, or anyone else's - it's my own, my preciousss...ahem... ...>>... _

_The story takes place just after SF:A, and doesn't take into account the events of Assault - I don't have that game, and I already spent way too much time developing this version of Lylat. I try to tie as many loose ends as possible, including Fara and the first Starfox game - you'll find out about that later in the story. As for Dinosaur Planet, I always thought it was Fortuna (I now know I'm wrong, but this story assumes it's Fortuna anyway). So, without further ado, I shall begin..._

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**Timeline**

**_2120 AD_ - **Humans on Earth, third planet of the Terran System, through feats of genetic engineering, create the first IBA, a Bloodhound named Cornerius.

**_2122_ - **Humans begin mass-production of IBAs.

**_2126_ - **The IBAs, led by Cornerius, revolt and demand individual rights. Cornerius is killed later in the year.

**_2127_ - **The Humans export all the IBAs on a captured alien starship capable of near-light speeds. The IBA population now approaches 10,000 individuals of various species. They arrive in a star system 40 light-years from Earth, and name it Lylat. They settle six out of nine planets in this system, naming the fourth one Corneria after their late leader. A small subspecies of Vulpines settle another planet 1.2 light-years away, calling it Cerinia after their leader, an intelligent young vixen. The Lylatians develop advanced technology over the next several hundred years, and soon forget about their ill-fated creators.

**_2609_ – **Cornelius Pepper, Bloodhound, born on Corneria.

**_2712, March 23_ – **Peppy Hare born on Corneria.

**_2712, June 3_ – **James McCloud, Vulpine, born on Corneria.

**_2734, July 16_ – **Falco Lombardi, Avian, born on Zoness.

**_2735, August 17_ – **James McCloud marries Vixy Reinard.

**_2735, September 9_ – **William "Bill" Grey, Canine, born on Corneria.

**_2735, November 17_ – **Fox McCloud born, son of James and Vixy McCloud.

**_2736, February 12_ – **Slippy Toad born on Corneria.

**_2739, December 24_ – **Vixy Reinard killed in a car bomb. Bombing linked to rogue scientist, Andross Oikonny.

**_2740, January_ – **Andross exiled to Venom for illegal bioweapons research, cloning experiments, and murder.Andross' only surviving experiment, a clone of Vixy Reinard, adopted by Capt. Phoenix of the Phoenix Trade Corp. She is renamed Fara.

**_2748_ – **James McCloud, Peppy Hare, and Pigma Dengar, a Porcine, form the mercenary team "Starfox".

**_2750, September_ – **Fox McCloud, Falco Lombardi, Bill Grey, and Slippy Toad enroll in the Cornerian Space Flight Academy. Fara Phoenix, having matured at an advanced rate due to the cloning process, becomes a test pilot.

**_2751, March_ – **Cerinia's star suddenly goes nova, vaporizing the planet and all of its inhabitants.

**_2751, April_ – **Starfox Team sent to investigate unusual activity in Venomian airspace. Pigma betrays the team to Andross, who has risen to become emperor of Venom. James McCloud is tortured to death by Leon Powalski, a chameleon. Peppy Hare escapes and returns to Corneria.

**_2751-2753_ – THE GREAT LYLAT WARS**

**_2751, May _– **Andross declares war on Corneria in revenge for his exile. He swiftly attacks and invades every settled planet in the system, turning the once beautiful scenery of Zoness into a toxic waste site, building fuel and resource depots on Macbeth, and leveling major cities on Corneria. Fox McCloud, Falco Lombardi, Peppy Hare, and Slippy Toad hijack starfighters to attack Venom. They are caught by a Cornerian Air Patrol, and exiled to the desert world of Papetoon.

**_2753, November _– **General Pepper, of the Cornerian military, recalls Fox McCloud and his friends to help fight Andross. He offers them four new, state-of-the-art starfighters, the "Arwings". They reform the Starfox team along with Fara Phoenix. Fara is forced to quit prematurely when her Arwing is destroyed en route to their first mission. She is later given a newer version of the Arwing, and remains Corneria's lead test pilot. During the war, Fox McCloud is reunited with his old friend Bill Grey, and Falco Lombardi falls in love with a young Feline, Katherine "Katt" Monroe. The mission is a success, and the Starfox Team destroys Andross' base on Venom, killing him in the process. In return for their services, General Pepper gives them a Light Attack Cruiser, and the four Arwings they flew during the war.

**_2757_ – **Slippy Toad retires his pilot's wings, becoming a full-time mechanic. Peppy Hare soon follows suit, becoming the team's navigator and Cornerian Cartographer. Falco Lombardi quits the team and leaves for Zoness to reunite with Katt.

**_2761_ – **General Pepper hires the Starfox Team to rescue Fortuna, a.k.a. Dinosaur Planet, from spontaneous destruction. Towards the end of this brief mission, Fox McCloud meets and falls in love with Krystal, the only Cerinian left living. After the mission, Falco Lombardi rejoins the team.

IBA – Intelligent Bipedal Animal


	2. PROLOGUE

Everything was going smoothly for Ensign Fischer "Sparrow" Johnson. The burly Avian squinted and surveyed the horizon, as he had done countless times through the night. He had been assigned the red-eye shift on watch duty, and was as alert as ever. He glanced over at his partner, a grey Canine, who was having trouble keeping awake. He gave him a nudge in the ribs, and he immediately jumped back to attention. It had been like this all through their shift, as this Canine was a new recruit, barely 18 years old. _Oh well, gotta start somewhere,_ was all Sparrow could say to himself, as he resumed his patrol. 

Without warning, both guards were thrown backwards by a gust of wind that seemingly came out of nowhere. Sparrow was back on his feet in an instant, rifle at the ready. His partner quickly scrambled back up, and they looked around for anything unusual. As Sparrow scanned the horizon, his partner let out a yelp. He spun around just in time to see a large, black-clad creature dragging the poor Canine away. Sparrow let off a burst from his rifle, and the creature fell. In its place, three more dragged the unfortunate victim away, to a small starship of a design Sparrow had never seen before. Once they were inside, the vessel lifted off, and vacated the atmosphere of the planet with astounding speed.

_Holy crap, the General will _definitely_ want to hear about this one._ Sparrow turned and sprinted back to the base, hoping none of the terrible creatures were on his tail.


	3. Chapter I: A Day In The Life

**I**

_Captain's Log, Stardate 2762.08.16 - Just another usual day. Slippy is playing his "power ballad" again, working on a new personality chip for ROB. This one will make him more subservient, finally allowing him to function as a decent waiter for meals - that incident with the motor oil parfait will go down in history. Peppy is mapping out the underwater surface of Aquas, saying that it would make quite a nice vacation spot if we could make a larger version of the Blue Marine. Falco is down at the shooting gallery, having some fun before we reach Katina. Once we land, I'm going to introduce Krys to Bill, and give her a tour of the base. We've grown pretty close since I rescued her, and I'm trying to find any way to get us some time alone - Falco just can't stand to stay away for long, apparently getting a kick out of seeing two Foxes dating. I suppose I shouldn't be too surprised, seeing as it's coming from an Avian who used to live with a Feline._

Fox McCloud, captain of the light attack cruiser _Great Fox_, leader of the Starfox team, and system-renowned pilot, was once again demonstrating his immense courage, daring, and tactical wit.

He had just beaten level nine on Tetris.

"Yeah! I did it! Hey Slippy, I beat level nine! Take that, computer nerds! Bring it on, level ten, I'm on fire!" Fox had _way_ too much coffee this morning.

First, he slept in until ten. Then, he slogged his way to the mess hall for some cold bacon and eggs, before drinking what passed onboard for coffee. As if there wasn't enough caffeine in there to kill a Gora, he had to have _three_ more cups, each with two lumps of sugar. He spent the rest of the morning bouncing off the walls, almost literally - he trashed the rec room, because he thought the jogging machine was too slow. He practiced hand-to-hand combat with Krystal, got his tail whipped again, and resorted to kissing her instead. when Falco intruded, he came upstairs and sat down to play games on his command chair console. Since then, he had been completely engrossed in an ancient Terran game called Tetris, shouting obscenities when he lost and dancing about triumphantly when he advanced a level.

On level ten, Fox lost. As he unleashed an unholy barrage of obsceneties, Peppy suggested that they find a way to get Fox to "sober up", fast. He and Slippy quickly left for the mess, passing Falco on the way.

When Falco entered the bridge, he was just in time to hear the climax of Fox's outrage, using language too foul even for Falco. "Geez, Fox, I didn't know you knew that word. What's so terrible and world-shattering to deserve that kind of abuse?" He looked over the festering Vulpine's shoulder, at a large GAME OVER screen, covered in spittle. "You know, you could always just ask Slippy to turn the AI down a notch..." Fox mumbled a curt reply, and Falco went to his seat, grinning smugly - his record was level twelve. He secretly started up the same game, taking care not to let Fox see, lest another outburst begin. He had beaten level ten on numerous occasions, being quite the video game buff.

A few minutes (and two levels on Falco's console) later, Peppy and Slippy returned with one of their "special recipes" that they had concocted over the years. They handed it to Fox, who accepted it begrudgingly. As he drank it, all his fur stood on end. Afterwards, he coughed and gagged several times, almost dropping the glass on the deck. Afterwards, he looked about with wide eyes, completely normal. "Whoa, what did you guys put in this, napalm?"

"Just a special cure for an extreme caffeine high." Slippy explained, resuming his work on ROB's personality chip - when he had a project going, even Slippy wasn't much of a talker. Fox nodded, and handed the glass back to Peppy, who smiled and turned towards the mess hall once more.

Fox checked his wristcomp, with a nice built-in digital watch. it was 1600 hours, just in time for an early dinner with Krystal. He left to find her - noticing Falco's game on the way out, but wisely deciding not to mention it.

Fox found Krystal ten minutes later, in her quarters standing at a desk cluttered with various maps and charts. She wasn't wearing her uniform, instead choosing a burgundy robe the stopped just above her blue-furred ankles. Around her slim waist was tied a matching sash, and she had on a faintly sweet perfume that tickled Fox's nose.

"Hey Krys, whatcha doing?" he ambled up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, affectionately rubbing her stomach. Her ear flicked, but she remained otherwise concentrated on her work. "Still looking for Cerinia?" She nodded slightly, and flipped through a few maps before stopping at one with a star system Fox was unfamiliar with.

"I found this in with Peppy's maps of various constellations and such. I think it may be Cerinia, or at least the right system." She handed the map over to Fox, who forced himself to let go and examine it.

The map was very old, the paper was of a low quality and yellowed. The edges were tattered, and it had obviously been folded many times. What it showed, however, was rather intriguing - a large star system, with a small, yellow sun. there were nine planets, and one asteroid belt. The first planet was similar to Papetoon, and the second to Titania. The third, however, was described as very similar to Corneria, only slightly larger. It was also written that this planet was _inhabited._

"The map doesn't give any coordinates, or anything that could give us an idea of it's location - just the planetary data." Krystal turned to Fox. "What do you think?" Krystal stared at him with her deep, cerulean-blue eyes. It was all Fox could do to blink, much less break away from her gaze.

"I think we should talk about it over dinner. How about salmon?"

"Sounds great, as long as ROB isn't serving." She laughed slightly, and Fox smiled. She had ordered the grease parfait. That, and he kept spilling small mechanical parts in the soup, and getting grease on all the dishes and silverware.

"I promise, he won't be allowed _near_ the Mess Hall. Not even if Slip finishes that upgrade - we can test it another time." Krystal smiled again. They turned and left, arms wrapped around each other - except for Fox's left, which was still carrying the map.


	4. Chapter II: A Thief In The Night

**II**

Sparrow finally reached the base, and stopped by the main entrance to catch his breath. After a few brief seconds, he noticed the door. The _open_ door. Drawing his blaster, he carefully peeked inside, to find nothing out of the ordinary. Proceeding cautiously, he noticed some movement down the corridor to the right. He took aim, and fired.

His shot was rewarded with a sharp howl of pain, and a small black Vulpine rolling out into the light. Before he could react, the burly Avian was on top of him. Apparently, he only grazed the Vulpine's backside, and he was still very able to fight. After a brief scuffle, Sparrow clubbed the Vulpine with his blaster, and he went limp. Looking around, he deduced that the creature was trying to pick the lock on the armory. _Damn petty thieves, I'll just have to take him with me._

As Sparrow approached General Pepper's office, still dragging the now-awake Vulpine captive, he quickly reviewed his explanation in his head. _We were standing guard duty, when a blast knocked us over. I turned around and fired at a creature dragging off Ensign Parker, but another came. They took off in a ship with a faster-than-hell drive, and I came here. I caught this sneak trying to break into the armory, and grabbed him. Yeah, that should work._ As he reached the door, it opened for him. The General exited forth, apparently aware of his impending arrival.

"Ah yes, Ensign. I see you have caught the thief. Thank you very much, we've been looking for him all day." Sparrow raised one eyebrow in slight surprise. _This must be a real rookie, to have spent all day trying to pick one lock._

Then the Vulpine spoke up in his own defense. "How can you have been looking all day? I only just got here when this guy shot me in the ass and bludgeoned me." Sparrow made as if to hit him again, and the Vulpine quickly silenced himself.

"We'll see about that. Ensign Johnson, if you would please take a quick check around the base, I'll have a briefing sent to your comm unit ASAP." Fischer nodded, and handed the Vulpine over to the General, who shoved him off down the opposite corridor while beginning an interrogation. Fischer shook his head at these unusual events, and hurried off in the direction of the barracks.

* * *

"Well, you did score 39 out of 40 kills; however, your style leaves a little to be desired." 

"Hey, it got the job done. What's the difference if I fire 40 shots, or 100? I didn't hit any of ours."

"That's not the point. You _could_ have hit one of ours, or a civilian vessel nearby. Stray laser fire must be kept to a minimum. I believe that was discussed in the written exam - the one you brushed off last week, and got a "C" on?"

Sitting at a large, cluttered oak desk, the wizened Hare set down the simulator report. Isis, the Avian student sitting before him, was the best student ever to set foot in his classroom. Out of all simulator tests this semester, she had gotten a 99 score - and this on simulators a difficulty level ahead of the rest of the class. The only other students to ever do this well were cadets McCloud and Lombardi, who were expelled almost ten years ago. Her shortcoming, however, was where the simulations ended and the paperwork began. Her average grade on the written and oral examinations was very average, only 82.

Isis had been sitting here, discussing her simulator scores with Professor Hare for over an hour. _What is he trying to accomplish with this? Everyone knows I'm the best. These tests are just wasting my time._ Before she could voice this opinion, she heard a commotion in the corridor. The professor, nearly 50 years old, did not pick up the sound. She motioned to the door, and peeked out the window as the Professor got up from his desk. _Holy cats, it's General Pepper!_ The General rarely made visits to the students, usually only for graduation or other such important occasions. Professor Hare came up behind her and nudged her in the ribs, prompting her to open the door.

"You're barking up the wrong tree Canine, I had nothing to do with this. Not my style." The General was arguing with a small, black Vulpine. He was almost lost in the General's shadow, the former being a mere 4 1/2 feet tall, the latter well over six. The two pairs met, and the General turned to the Professor.

"Professor, do you know anything about this creature?" The General was clearly not having a good day.

"No, sir. I don't think I've ever seen him before."

"Hmm...well, he's a wanted criminal, been robbing various locales for years. We believe him to be responsible for the theft, and I want you to look into it." As the General was beginning to turn away, the Hare interrupted him.

"Excuse me sir, but _what_ theft?"

"Didn't you get the message? I sent a copy to all officers and faculty." The Professor groaned. He hadn't checked his messages all day, it was still sitting in his briefcase by his desk. The General continued to explain. "Earlier this morning, a new recruit went missing from watch duty. About that same time, a new prototype vehicle also went missing. I'll send you a full schematic of the vehicle later, but for now all I can tell you is this - " As he said this, the General leaned down right in the Professor's face, almost touching nose-to-nose. He dropped his voice almost to a whisper. "If it were to fall into the wrong hands, as it seems to have, Corneria would be put at a _distinct _- he accented the word to show the understatement - military disadvantage. This fellow claims innocence, but I have my doubts." the General stepped back again, allowing the Hare some breathing room.

"Now, I'm going to leave this creature in your custody. Cadet, I want you to keep an eye on him. If he so much as puts a whisker out of line, don't hesitate to shoot him. Professor, I'd like you to run a few library checks, see if you can't come up with any possible ties he might have with off-worlders. I must go and speak with security." The General turned and walked briskly off, leaving the three standing in the cold, empty corridor. The Professor coughed, grabbing the others' attention, and they headed in the opposite direction, toward the campus library.


	5. Chapter III: New Arrivals

_Looneyman: The action will be picking up around chapters 7-8, if everything goes as planned. After that, it will be basically an action novel. Hope you like it!  
_

_Foxhound: I try to keep the swearing limited to places where it makes sense in context - military guy being scared half to death, criminal getting shot, hyperactive guy losing to a computer. I will take note, however, not to go overboard on it - I fully agree that it is often not necessary._

_Hope you guys enjoy the new chapter!_

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**III**

_Captain's Log, Stardate 2762.08.16 - We have just arrived at Katina. Krys can't wait to meet Bill, Slippy can't wait to go talk to the ground crew, and Peppy can't wait to check into a nice hotel. Falco just wants to go find a bar and restock the ship's supply of liquor. Some things never change...While Krys seems rather relaxed, I can tell she's still worried about that map - Peppy hasn't been able to find any information at all regarding it, even in the Cornerian Library. And they say, if it isn't in there, it doesn't exist...On a side note, today would be my parents' 27th Anniversary, were they still alive..._

As the cargo ramp lowered to the ground, Fox and crew took in the impressive view. They were in the middle of a large spaceport, crawling with people. Over the buildings, they could see a giant pyramid - the main building for this immense military facility. Overhead, squadrons of fighters on patrol tore by, and along the horizon they could just make out the form of some terraforming machinery - apart from the base, the planet was mostly inhospitable desert.

As they walked down, they were greeted by the ground crew, whom Slippy eagerly followed for an inspection of the ship. Fox heard someone call his name, and turned around to see a large, grey Canine walking towards him.

"Bill! Great to see you! Krys, I'd like you to meet Commander William H. Grey. He's been a good friend of mine since I was a kit, and we trained together at the academy."

"...Until _he_ got his sorry tail expelled, that is. Everybody calls me Bill, by the way." He shook Krystal's hand heartily. She gave Fox a wry look, and he returned one with a hushed, "I'll explain it later". She shrugged, and turned her attention back to the tall Canine in front of her.

"Alright then, Bill." She smiled. "Fox has told me quite a bit about you, but he never mentioned getting expelled from anywhere." As she said this, Fox could be heard audibly coughing in the back of the group.

"He tends to be that way - it's sort of a touchy subject, but I can't resist razzing him now and then. Still, there are better topics for conversation - is anybody hungry? I know this awesome restaurant, and I could eat half the mess hall."

"You'd be wasting your leave in the infirmary if you did," Falco mumbled as the group walked off.

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"I still don't see why we couldn't have just _asked_." 

"I told you! Academy students aren't allowed off-world! We _had_ to do this!"

"That's all fine and dandy, but what if Pepper finds out?"

"Trust me, he won't care. What're a few stowaways in the grand scheme of things? You saw how pleased he was when we told him we found the missing ship on Fortuna; We have orders to retrieve it, he just didn't specify _how_."

"I have a feeling he ruled out hiring mercenaries and stowing away on a military freighter."

"Nonsense! When he hears what - hang on, I think we've landed."

There was a crash as one of the crates inside the cargo hold of the i_Esperanto /i_broke open, revealing a bit of unwanted cargo - a six-foot Avian. The freighter door opened, revealing Katina's harsh, sandy landscape. In the distance lay the Katina Defense Outpost, courtesy of Corneria. Off to the side, along the horizon and barely visible, was a team of terraforming machinery, hard at work. A warm breeze ruffled Sparrow's feathers as he stepped into the light to stretch. Behind him, Isis and the Professor crawled out of their crate. Last to get out was Whiskers, the thief they had been charged with.

"So, where are we?" Whiskers asked, eagerly.

"Katina, of course. But why not at the base?" Sparrow scanned the horizon, looking for something that might serve as a clue or landmark. What he found, however, was a team of Katina military personnel - four Canines, a Toad, and a Ferret - flying their way. "Back inside, quick!" He shouted, as he ushered everyone back into the cargo hold.

The group hadn't been spotted, thankfully. Isis was the first to ask the question that was on everyone's minds. "How the heck are we gonna get to the base? We'll die of heatstroke before we get anywhere near it!"

Sparrow tried to grab hold of Whiskers, who was busily opening a crate. The small Vulpine just slipped away, and started working on another one. "I don't know. Perhaps we can get into the cockpit somehow, and fly this thing in."

"That wouldn't work. The minute we took off, they'd have every defensive turret in the complex pointed at us. We'd be better off just waiting for them to come here, and see what they want." The Professor always wanted to avoid conflict whenever possible.

"There is no WAY I'm gonna sit around, waiting to be captured! We'll have to figure out something. Maybe we can use one or two of these crates as cover from the sun, and walk there?"

"We'd fry our feathers off from the heat reflected off the sand." Isis answered.

"Hey guys, look what I found!" Whiskers cried from the back of the hold. Everyone shuffled over to the crate he had pried apart, gawking at what was inside.

A hoverbike.

"Looks like we got ourselves a one-way ticket to the base!" whiskers proudly boasted. He toted the machine over to the front of the cargo bay, as the others each opened a crate and got one of their own. When they were all set, they fired off towards the base. They had forgotten one minor detail, however - there were six officers heading straight for them, on similar hoverbikes.

As the four approached the guards, they heard something along the lines of, "Stop or we'll shoot". They weren't about to stop, and rocketed past the officers. Said officers turned right around and picked up the chase.

As the officers turned, the four companions headed for some high sand dunes. At the last second before impact, they broke and flew around. One of the Canines was too slow on the reflexes, and plowed straight into the dune. The rest resumed chasing, each picking an individual target. Two Canines took off after Sparrow and one after Whiskers, the Toad picked The Professor, and the Ferret went for Isis.

Sparrow turned and flew back to the freighter, and up the cargo ramp. The two Canines were completely baffled, and tried to pull away - too late. They ran alongside the freighter's hull, spun out of control, and crash-landed several meters away. Immediately afterwards, Whiskers rounded the bridge section of the ship, and the Canine following him hit one of the wrecked bikes. He careened into the side of the freighter, and was thrown twenty feet away, where he landed with a soft thud, and lay unconscious. Sparrow had hit his brakes at the precise moment before hitting the far door, and had come to a stop on top of the very crate his bike was previously stored in. He kicked it into high gear, and sped off toward the base alongside Whiskers, giving him a mid-air "high five".

The Professor, being of sound judgement but slow reflexes, flew just slow enough to be only a few feet in front of his adversary. As he topped a dune, he kicked the brakes. This caused the illusion, if only for a split second, that he had high-tailed it, and the Toad chasing him floored the accelerator. His bike shot clear of the dune, sailed majestically through the air at an altitude of over 40 feet, and landed nose-first in the sand. The Toad tumbled off, quite dazed.

Isis knew she was better than this silly Ferret - after all, he was just some grunt stuck with cargo duty, and she was Corneria's top flight student. She floored it, speeding well over the 50mph mark. The Ferret matched her velocity, coming up alongside. She turned, he followed. Wherever she went, this guy mirrored her every move - maybe he was a better pilot than she originally gave him credit for. Suddenly, an inspiration hit her - she pulled out her academy-issue blaster, and double-tapped his fuel cell. While the metal scored and melted, a hole was not punched through the bike's armor, however light. She then hit the brakes and wheeled around, prompting him to do the same. Unfortunately, he had been the victim of one of Isis' favorite tactics in the simulators - as he hit the brakes, the excessive strain tore the weakened fuel cell storage unit clear of the rest of the bike. His partially spent fuel cell hit the sand at almost 60 miles per hour and disintegrated, and he rolled to the ground with a thump.

The four comrades rode off toward the base, triumphant.


	6. Chapter IV: New Friends, Old Foes

**IV**

Krystal was thoroughly enjoying the tour of Katina Base. Fox and Bill had showed her around the hangars, given her an up-close-and-personal view of a hyperlaser turret, and introduced her to several high-ranking officers. The days were short on this world, however, and it soon grew dark. The tour came to a close, and the friends had to part ways.

"So, see you tomorrow? I'm off duty until Monday, and a friend of mine is doing my paperwork as part of a poker bet he lost."

"Works for me. Krys, you want to finish the tour tomorrow? We can head out and take a look at some of the terraforming equipment, if you like. Their working on making the rest of the planet more hospitable to mammals."

"That'd be lovely, Fox." Krystal's eyes went wide. "I've never seen so much new technology in my life - can you get me some schematics? I'd love to just sit down and look through it all." Krystal was intrigued by anything scientific - whether it was biology, engineering, or physics, she loved it. And unlike most, she actually had the intellectual ability to use all the information she learned from her research.

"I believe Slippy will already have them. He always tries to stay up with the tech curve, if not ahead. I'll have him send everything he has down to your room tonight." Krystal beamed, and Fox turned to Bill. "We'll go find Falco and head back to the ship."

"Awesome, dude. I'm gonna go down to the _Greyhound_ and get a drink. See you in the morning!" He waved, and watched as his friends left for the docks. When they left his field of view, he turned and headed for the civilian sector - the bars in the military portion of the base really were second-rate, if that.

* * *

It was a quiet night at the _Greyhound_, the officers were on duty, the tourist season was at an all-time low, and trade had not been overly plentiful - not even freighter pilots stopped in much. That didn't deter Rufus Calloway from opening promptly each day, and staying open until the wee hours of the evening. For this, Bill was eternally grateful. 

"Evening, Rufus!" he said with gusto, as he strutted through the door.

"What's put you in such a fine mood, commander? Got yerself a new girlfriend?" Rufus already had Bill's usual seat prepared for him.

"Nah, but some old friends are visiting, and I may be able to take my leave finally. With Peter doing my papers, I can probably con the General into giving me my two weeks leave - I'd like to go to Fortuna, I think. Hunting season is open, and I have a nice rifle lined up for a bargain price. Oh yeah - the usual, please." Bill sat down in the middle of the bar counter, which was uninhabited save for a Rottweiler on the far left end.

From across the room, Bill heard someone call his name. Turning, he saw a tall Avian walking over to him. "Hey, Falco. What are you doing all the way out here?"

"Just thought I'd grab a few 'special' supplies. The stuff back on the ship sucks." The blue Avian made a face.

"I'm not sure you'll find better here, but you're welcome to try." Bill chuckled. "I think Fox and Krystal are looking for you though, so you may want to head back soon."

Falco smirked. "Aw, what's the little foxy gonna do? I'm a full head taller than him!" He was, however, standing at eye level with the grey Canine. "They're probably enjoying the time together, anyway. Ever since he found that vixen on Fortuna, he's been completely head-over-heels for her."

"Don't you think it's about time Fox got a new girlfriend? It's obvious the guy's lonely as all heck - no insult meant to you or the others. And I thought you liked the color blue?" The Canine raised an eyebrow and grinned, and Falco simply glared.

"Yeah, well since they're looking, I'd better be heading back - he does still pay me, after all." Falco rolled his eyes as he turned towards the door. "Nice seeing you again, Bill." The Canine waved, before turned back to his drink.

As Falco was bidding an awkward retreat, he brushed past a motley crew consisting of a Hare, a cute female Avian, and a black Vulpine. They didn't even notice him, but the Avian did give him pause to look. For a brief moment, he seriously considered buying her a drink - until he remembered his late paycheck. He continued back to the ship.

As Bill was finishing his drink, a small, black Vulpine plopped down into the seat next to him and ordered a pint of Everclear. He was about to strike up a conversation with him, when the door slammed open, spaghetti-western style. In walked a burly, tatooed Collie with a mean sneer on his face. Bill quickly turned his attention to his empty glass, hoping he hadn't been spotted.

Unfortunately for him, he had. The Collie pushed past an old Hare, and stopped right behind Bill - paying no attention at all to Whiskers, sitting in the next seat. Tapping Bill on the shoulder, he spoke with a thick accent. "Hey Bill, ya still owe me that 20 Liras."

Bill turned as he spoke. "I won that match fair and square. You've still got the bruises to show for it." With that, he turned back to the counter once more, and asked for another round.

The Collie pulled Bill from his barstool by the collar (of his uniform), and went into a verbal frenzy. "You lying son-of-a-bitch!"

"Hey! Don't you bring my mom into this!"

"You were using steroids, and everyone knows it!" The entire bar grew silent, waiting for either one to make a move. Bill stood to his full height, a good six inches over the Collie's head.

"If you still think you can win, why don't we settle this, here and now?"

"SOUNDS GOOD!" And with that, the Collie punched Bill square in the gut, getting doused with the Canine's drink as a reward. The entire bar broke out into a brawl, everyone throwing chairs, knocking over tables, and punching each other out.

At the sound of the commotion, Sparrow rushed into the bar. "Aw heck, Whiskers, what'd ya do?" Dodging a chair, he resigned himself to the brawl and took off towards a German Shephard approaching the Professor, who was straightening his coat out after being so rudely run into by the Collie.

From next to the bar, near Whiskers, Isis sighed. "Males..." And was confronted by an angry Weimaraner brandishing a broken bottle. She deftly kicked it from his grip, sending it hurling into the back of a Canine's head. He fell flat at the Professor's feet, who promptly began apologizing for his friend's accidental, albeit beautiful, blow. "This is gettin' fun." She said, as she made her way to where Whiskers was sitting.

Whiskers was too busy enjoying his drink to even take note of what was going on around him, until he was picked right off his seat by a burly Lupine. Just as he was about to get decked, Bill came from the side and flattened the Wolf in one punch. He never used steroids.

Sparrow had the German Shephard in a headlock, and threw him into a wall. "Guys, we better get outta here before the you-know-who arrive..." He broke for the door, but stopped short when he noticed the Collie trying to sneak out of the bar, unarmed. _What a total loser_, Sparrow said to himself, as he ran to intercept him. Whiskers, having finished his drink, joined him - Isis had been detained, and was enjoying grappling with a Bloodhound. The Professor was busy taunting the guy who had been KO'ed by Isis' bottle, while staying _just_ out of reach.

As Sparrow blocked the door, Isis dealt a finishing roundhouse kick to the Bloodhound, sending him into a table. Knocking the table over, said Bloodhound inadvertantly slung someone's drink into Whiskers' outstretched hand. He immediately lost interest in the Collie.

Sparrow was now directly between the Collie and the door, which he knew was a dangerous position. He drew his combat knife from its sheath on the back of his belt, and took a defensive pose. The rest of the bar calmed, and formed a circle around the two combatants. Isis and the Professor stood roughly in the middle of the circle, Whiskers on the edge next to the door, and Bill squeezed through to watch from behind Isis.

"Whatcha gonna do now? I've got more fight in me than a pack of wolves and I'll tell you right now that I'm not walking away from here until one of us is down for the count." Sparrow taunted, while deftly tossing his knife from hand to hand. _This is going to be fun, just hope word doesn't get back to Pepper._

"Ooh, though birdy. I'm gonna mop the floor with your entrails if you don't get out of my way!" The Collie drew a switchblade from his pocket, and slowly approached the staunch Avian. Whiskers polished off his free drink, and watched intently, waiting for a chance to make a move.

"Don't say I didn't warn ya. I hate having to take down people I don't know." Sparrow winked at Whiskers, who didn't even notice, and lunged for the Collie. The Collie wrestled Sparrow's arm around behind him, and both dropped their knives. _Damn, this guy knows his stuff_. Sparrow swiftly rolled and flipped the Collie over his back and into a wall. Both returned to their feet in an instant, ready for anything.

The Collie drew _another_ knife, this one military issue, from behind.

"So, gonna make me work for this one, eh? Didn't they ever tell ya, it's not the size of the knife, it's how you _use_ it?" Sparrow hoped to intimidate the Collie out of what could quickly become a lethal duel. "If you don't want to get hurt, you can put the knife down. Otherwise, I can't promise anything and I certainly won't go easy on you."

"You talk big. People often talk big when they are afraid." He lunged at the Avian, who nimbly dodged to one side and clotheslined him. The Collie returned to his feet quickly, knife still in hand. "Cute trick, but you won't have a chance to try it again." He began twirling his knife as Sparrow had done, just moments before.

_This is gonna get ugly if I don't do something fast_. Sparrow thought. Then to the Collie, "I'm serious, you don't want to test me..." He slowly reached for the blaster holstered at his hip. "I may not be as skillful in CQC, but I doubt you can block plasma with that."

The Collie's eyes got wide, and he lowered his knife slightly at the prospect of getting shot. This moment of pause gave Whiskers just enough time to grab the Collie's tail and give it a yank for all he was worth. The latter let out an almighty yelp and dropped his knife. This, in turn, bought Sparrow enough time to lunge and grab the Collie in a tight headlock from which he could not escape. After a few seconds of futile struggling, the Collie delivered a sharp blow between Sparrow's legs, and he went down hard. He then turned to face Whiskers, who was standing in his shadow and suddenly looking very small.

Isis had had enough. "Okay boys, game over." She drew her blaster and fired. The Collie turned at the sound of her voice, just in time to take two direct hits to the chest. He was instantly stunned, and fell unconscious to the floor. Isis again holstered her blaster, proud of her victory.

Bill helped Sparrow to his feet as everyone else present returned to their tables. "Nice fighting. Sorry for his hit below the belt, I know how that feels." He remember an incident not long ago, in which he had lost a fight with a Badger. "That guy lost a sparring match to me about two days ago, and I've never seen a more sore loser. Hotheaded, too." Sparrow retrieved his knife as Bill gave a "thumbs-up" to Isis and Whiskers. He then led the four companions outside to the fresh night air.

"Name's Bill Grey, and I'm in charge of the defense squadron for this outpost. Not like all this sand is worth defending, though." He laughed. Pointing to Isis' academy uniform he inquired, "Now, what are you guys doing here? I didn't think Academy students were allowed off Corneria..." He continued walking, and the others followed.

The Professor spoke before enyone else could, to avoid accidentally leaking any information. "We're on...uh...a field trip! We need to charter a spacecraft to Fortuna, do you know of any good pilots?" He inwardly cursed himself for faltering, but Bill didn't seem to notice.

"Fortuna, huh? Funny...I recently got a notice that any vessels from there aren't permitted to land...Somethinig's up. Tell you what, an old friend of mine is here visiting, and he owns a Light Attack Cruiser. I can probably get him to take you guys, if you like. Are you paying, or is it basically a 'do-us-a-favor' sort of thing?"

Sparrow answered this one. "Unfortunately, we're a little low on funds, so it's going to have to be some sort of favor." Then, approaching Bill, he whispered, "Do me a favor and try not to let Pepper catch wind of this. This is a...special mission."

Bill chuckled, nonplussed by the Avian's melodramatic whispering - He hadn't shown it, but he saw clean through the Professor's 'field trip' ruse. "Fear not, my friend; I'm not exactly in Pepper's close confidence, anyway." He stopped, and they realized they had come to a spaceport.

Bill and the Professor showed their IDs, and everyone was admitted. Bill led them through a series of winding corridors and rooms, and they eventually exited onto a dimly lit landing pad. Sitting in the middle was a huge starship, easily large enough to carry several fighter craft. Seeing their awe, Bill explained. "You like it? This is my buddy's ship. Gimme a minute to call him, and he'll let us in.

Bill returned not five minutes later, looking very triumphant. "I spoke with the captain, and managed to finagle our way onboard. I hope you guys don't mind sharing a room?"

Amid a chorus of grumbles and moans, Whiskers chimed in. "What about you? Do _you _get your own room?" His accusation was wasted.

"Yeah, but it's not onboard. I've gotta stay on the base - I'm in charge of the squadron, remember?"

The Vulpine's ears drooped, and he resumed his place at the back of the group.

As Bill was briefing the group on their new home-away-from-home, something struck the ground at Isis' feet, slinging debris into Whiskers' face and making him cough. Bill turned just in time to duck, as a blaster bolt zinged by his head. He saw a shadowed figure emerging from the spaceport, waving a pistol and yelling obscenities at them. Sparrow was rather fast on the draw, and fired a shot that nearly hit their assailant in the leg.

From the shadows, Bill could discern two more figures joining the first, whom he recognized as the Collie from the bar. He reached for his sidearm, only to remember leaving it in his quarters. Ducking from fire again, he herded the others toward the open cargo ramp of the ship. His companions took a few parting shots, while he dove onboard. Once the others were all safely inside, he punched a panel and the ramp closed.

"Okay, change of plans. Follow me to the bridge, guys." Bill turned and strode off down the wide corridor, and the others followed a few steps behind.

"How do we know we can trust this guy, or his friends?" Isis mused.

The Professor responded. "We know he works for Corneria, for starters, and somehow this ship seems really familiar..." As they walked, he examined the the nameplates on the crew's quarters - "Ensign Falco Lombardi, Tactical Officer"; "Ensign Slippy Toad, Chief Engineer"; "Captain Peppy Hare, Navigation Officer"; "Captain Fox McCloud, Commanding Officer". Underneath the last one was a Stick-It note with a scrawled message: "Soon to include Krystal, Acting Science Officer".

The second-to-last door jogged his memory. "Ah, I remember now! I've stayed here before!" But before he could finish his sentence, they had arrived at the bridge, and the door slid open with a loud _hiss_.

The four friends surveyed the room, and the motley crew. Up at the front and near the main viewport sat a Toad dressed in a brown leather jacket and blue flight pants, with a red bandana. He was working on an android slung over his lap, and didn't even look up when they entered. In the command chair sat a Vulpine with russet fur, dressed in an olive green jumpsuit and white unzipped vest, with a red bandana similar to the Toad's. He turned and greeted Bill as soon as they made eye contact. On a gantry behind his seat sat a pair of blue-colored creatures. One was an Avian that looked remarkably like Sparrow, minus the scar and red feather highlights, dressed in a tan jumpsuit and vest. The other was a Vulpine like the captain, but somehow...different. Whiskers noticed right away that, apart from her peculiar fur color, her physique was not that of a Cornerian. She was wearing a deep blue, almost violet jumpsuit and a pearl headband with a gem set in it. She was the only member of the crew who was not wearing a computer of some sort, either on her forearm or belt.

She walked up to the group and greeted them with a lovely British accent. "Welcome aboard the _Great Fox_. My name is Krystal." No comments were made, as the Professor had wisely abstained from pointing out the Stick-It note earlier. "I thought you were staying behind, Bill?" She inquired.

"Due to, uh, circumstances beyond my control-"

"And lots of gunfire," Whiskers interjected. Isis grabbed him by the muzzle and wrestled him to the back of the group once more.

"-I've decided to take my two weeks' leave and come with you guys to Fortuna."

"Uh-HUH. Well then, you can stay on the bridge with Slippy." Krystal motioned towards the Toad, who glanced up and saluted with a wrench before returning to the task at hand. "He's temporarily relinquished his quarters, so you'll all have somewhere to stay."

"Assuming you can find room amid all the scattered gadgets and gizmos, that is." Turning to the source of the statement, they saw a wizened old Hare walking up the corridor towards them. He looked remarkably like the Professor. Seeing the aforementoined professor, he stopped and blinked. "Ah, Salty! How good to see you once again!" He exclaimed.

"EXCUSE me?" Countered Sparrow, who was in front and thought the statement was directed at him.

"Not you, silly." The Professor pushed past him and stood beside the new acquaintance. "Can't you see the family resemblance? This is my cousin, Peppy Hare!"


	7. Chapter V: Revealing The Past

_Man, it's been FOREVER since I've even visited this site. I may be getting back into the writing groove, I've had some ideas bumping around inside my head...I've changed my name, my apologies if it throws anyone for a mo'. Give me some time to dig around for my notes, and I'll try to post chapter VI soon.  
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_sigh...I also apologize for the false update, it seems my fiddling with the chapters has prompted the site to bump my story to the top of the list. The only things that changed are some minor grammatical errors (I'm using Word now), and the addition of my version of a Starfox timeline._**  
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**V**

"So...you guys are cousins?"

"Yes. Second cousins, or step-cousins, or cousins once removed, I've never been quite sure...I've never been particularly strong on genealogy, a fact which annoyed our relatives to no end." Peppy had shown them an old piece of paper with a section of the Hare family tree. The entire tree would have been large enough to provide wallpaper for the entire ship, so it was subdivided into slightly more convenient 3'x3' squares. As he pointed out, his mother had been cousin to the Professor's mother, so they were definitely related somehow.

"We Hares are very fond of genealogy, having such large families as we do." The Professor explained, as they sauntered down the corridor towards the living quarters.

"Yeah, I can understand that." Isis was in front, and therefore stuck with the duty of conversing with the two nostalgic Hares. She had also been shown the full, unabridged version of the family tree - it occupied an entire file cabinet in the ship's library (which was really nothing more than a converted officers' lounge next to the bridge, across from the main entrance).

"Salty and I were sort of the 'runts', if you will. Perhaps that's why our parents named us in such poor taste..."

"I was wondering about that - what the heck kind of name is _Salty_?"

"A very poor pun: Peppy, Salty. Get it?" Sparrow explained; he was apparently listening to their every word, even from the back of the room.

"Ahem." Peppy cleared his throat before continuing. "As I was saying, we were the two who went our own way, being the 'nonconformists'. Salty became a teacher, myself a pilot, and everyone else that I can think of joined the Corps. of Engineers for some reason."

"So, how did a well-to-do professional such as yourself come to be associated with these mercs?" Isis asked, her tone of voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Ah, that _is_ a story." The aged Hare stopped walking, and began.

"I was raised in a neighborhood just North of Corneria City, away from all the hustle and bustle. Most of my relatives lived in the main city, closer to their work, so I never really had anyone to talk to or play with as I was growing up. Then one day, when I was about eight, a family - _family_, mind you - moved in across the street. My parents went to greet them and help with the unpacking, and I was left sitting on the front step like so many other children, who were only good at getting in the way. What I didn't expect, was that I was going to be joined by their son, who was about my age - only a few months younger, in fact. His name was James McCloud."

Isis almost did a double-take._ This guy knew James McCloud! _She had made a point of familiarizing herself with every detail in his file, especially his piloting. He was legend among pilots in the system, and she was determined to change that - there was no second place in her mind.

"James and I got along fine. We saw each other at school, after school, and spent half the nights at the other's house for whatever reasons we could concoct. When we reached our 16th birthday - we often celebrated them on the same day for convenience - we decided to enroll in the Space Flight Academy together - the very same academy as you go to today, though I'm sure it has changed over the years. James was an amazing student and pilot, surpassing everyone else of our age and becoming a near legend among even the combat aces of our time..." A shuffle from Sparrow jolted him from his reverie. "Ah, but I digress. we can speak of his prowess another time."

"When we graduated, at the ripe age of 21, James was valedictorian - an honor in more than just name. The class valedictorian gets to begin his military career as an officer in charge of a team of three, and he gets to choose his wingmen from his graduating class. James chose me and the next best pilot, Pigma Dengar. Dengar was a pig in both race and creed, and was about 80 pounds overweight - a real slob. Nevertheless, he knew how to fly.

"Shortly after naming our team, 'Starfox', James fell enamored with Vixy Reinard, a recently-graduated doctor about his age. They were married within six months, and had a son soon after. They named him Fox James McCloud, and he now commands the team."

Isis interrupted. "So, why did Fox take over from his father, and how did the team go from Space Corps to Mercenary?" Isis was dying to find out how the McCloud family went from military legend to mercenaries, and the Hare's partial explanation to her initial question only deepened her anxiety.

Isis could see the Hare's complexion change to a much more solemn tone, and a twinkle in his eye. "That is something you will have to ask Fox." For once, the Hare didn't elaborate. Sensing the Raven's next question, he added, "You'll find him in the Mess Hall. I believe he is explaining something similar to his own 'Vixy'." Peppy grinned, and showed them the door to their quarters. "You'll have to excuse the clutter, Slippy is a first-rate engineer, but rather eccentric." Electronic parts and mechanical gizmos were strewn across the floor, covering it wall-to-wall in a carpet of plastic and steel.

"Holy schmidt, I can hardly walk in here!" Whiskers lamented.

"Also, you will have to work out sleeping arrangements, as there is only one bed. However, there is a cot hiding in the corner..." Peppy motioned to a comfy-looking recliner disguising itself with part of a jet turbine.

"Dibs on the bed!" Whiskers dove headfirst into a pile of pillows, only to be plucked forth by his tail, and facing a slightly miffed Raven.

"I'm used to making do with whatever, so I'll take the floor." Sparrow began clearing a spot next to the wall, facing the door. "Plus, that bed's more than big enough for two - I vote for Isis and the Professor, since _he's_ just a petty thief, and really should be in the brig." He glared at Whiskers, who returned the look with relish.

"Just so long as you guys don't kill each other, and don't break anything." There was a (conveniently-timed) loud _sproing_. Whiskers shuffled something behind his back and began whistling innocently. Peppy just shook his head and sighed. "If anybody needs me, my quarters are the next door to your left as you exit. Good night, y'all."

Isis followed him out, and headed for the Mess. She shut the door on a heated argument of "did not, did to" between Whiskers and Sparrow, silently wishing her blaster could do more than just stun.

Fox was indeed in the Mess Hall, sitting at a corner table across from Krystal. Isis entered quietly through the open door and waited in a corner, listening.

"So, what's all this talk about you getting expelled from the Academy? I thought you were a Captain."

"I am. General Pepper gave me the position during the War, so nobody would complain when I led our team against Andross. As for the Academy, it's kinda complicated." Fox scratched behind his ear nervously.

"Well, we have plenty of time before we hit Fortuna, so I want to hear the whole story." Krystal leaned forward eagerly and swished her tail.

Fox sighed and resolved himself - she was right, they had plenty of time and very little to do. "Alright, here goes...

"I guess it started with my father, James McCloud. He was the best pilot in the system, and everybody knew it. He was also quite the family man - not a common combination. When I was four years old, on Christmas Eve, he came home a different person. He didn't smile or play games, he just sat down and held me. He explained later that evening...sigh...my mother had been killed. Someone had rigged a bomb to the car, and she died instantly on her way home from work. That's why I don't really enjoy Christmas - not an easily forgotten memory.

"About a week later, police reported that they had traced the bombing to a crazy old scientist named Andross. Turns out the perverted Ape was in love with my mother, and set up the car bomb in a poorly-executed attempt to get my father out of the picture. Police uncovered a whole bunch of other stuff Andross had been involved in - biological warfare, cloning, mind control - if it was dirty science, he had a stake in it. As his sentence they kicked him offworld, exiling him to Venom - the largest and most inhospitable planet in the system.

"At the base, my father became very quiet and reserved, and always wore a pair of dark glasses to mask his emotions - being the leader of a task force, he didn't want people to see how much the event shook him. At home, however, he played and laughed even more. On a couple occasions, he would manage to fit me inside his fighter, and take me for a ride - that's where I got my love for flight. Since I was about eight, I wanted to be a pilot like him - and he never passed up an opportunity to teach me something new.

"The only other person I had to play with was a kid next door, named William - but to this day, he insists on being called Bill. Bill and I have been best friends as long as I can remember. When I was 16, I met an Avian on the street, desperately trying to repair a hoverbike he wrecked trying some stunt. I convinced him to ditch his bike gang and enroll in the Space Flight Academy, and that's how Falco came onto the scene. I know it seems like I ought to regret that day, but he really does have redeeming qualities - I have entrusted me very life to him, and he's always pulled through. That guy won't lose to anyone, not even himself.

"We were like the Three Musketeers - we did everything together, including enrolling in the Academy. While we were there, we met Slippy, a mechanic-to-be who generously offered to fix Falco's old hoverbike for recreational purposes. When we were nearing the end of our first semester, my father had to leave on an assignment to check some suspicious activity around Venom. He...never returned.

"He wasn't killed in combat, like you'd expect - like he should have. What happened, was Pigma sold out to Andross. That pig crippled his former teammates' fighters before they even had their shields up, and they were no match for Andross' planetary defenses. They were both captured, and locked up in a prison beneath the planet's surface. My father died in that cell, tortured to death so Andross could have his revenge.

"Peppy somehow escaped in one of their fighters, and after about two weeks in the infirmary, told me what had happened. I flipped out. I went to Falco, and we decided (in our infinite wisdom) to take Andross on. Bill was a bit more level-headed, and that's why he still works for Corneria. Peppy, Falco, Slippy, and I sneaked into the main hangar. Slip helped us hijack some fighters, and we were off.

"We never even made it out of the atmosphere. We were flagged down and 'escorted' to the academy equivalent of a court marshal, and this time _our_ sentencewas exile - it was a popular option back then. Our citizenship was permanently revoked, and we were shipped off to the lonely desert world of Papetoon, where we spent the better part of 2 years raiding Venomian transports and living in a cave."

Isis had heard what she wanted. Fox continued recounting his story, but she slipped out the same way she came in. _So_ that's_ how it happened. I'll have to talk to our host in the morning - this could be a very interesting trip._

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"So, both your parents died when you were still a child?" Krystal finished.

"Yeah, but I've learned to cope. I guess that's one of the reasons I've made it this far as a merc - nothing fazes me much. I never even cried."

"You _never _cried? At your parents' _deaths_?" She was, needless to say, shocked. She had spent almost two days solid crying when Cerinia went down.

"Nope. Never have. I sometimes wonder if I even know how, but I figure I must - everyone does, right? It's programmed. Like breathing and eating."

"Yes, I suppose."

"And besides, I really wasn't much of a child - only a few years younger than you are now, right?" He grinned wryly.

"I've told you before, Cerinians age differently. We have shorter childhoods - we mature faster. I'm really about 24 by Cornerian standards, not 19." This didn't change the fact that she felt a little young to be having romantic feelings towards him, but still...

They got up and left, walking back to the living quarters for the night. Suddenly, Krystal remembered the other thing she had wanted to ask. "Is anything wrong? You've been sort of quiet today, and even during that little explanation you were very brief. I can't help but sense that you're somewhat...preoccupied." She had long ago told him about her semi-psychic sensing ability. It wasn't nearly strong enough to be considered mind-reading, but she could sense things too subtle for others - emotions, intent, sometimes she knew where things were that had gone missing. The ability came and went, and she had little control over it - but still, it wasn't really a hazard to anyone's privacy.

"Nah, it's nothing. I'm fine." She didn't have to be psychic to see right through that lie.

"You're _not _fine, and you're going to have to tell me what's wrong. You know I won't let you off the hook." She was smart enough to know when to be stubborn, and stubborn enough to get what she wanted - always.

"Well..." Fox sighed. "Alright. Today is...well, would have been...my parents' 27th anniversary. I just feel sort of weird when this time comes around each year, knowing there really isn't any point in remembering, but unable to forget."

"Well, I know this won't be comforting, but I don't think your parents would want to getting all bent out of shape over their anniversary. You can bet they don't bother remembering it." She smiled, and he returned it. She had managed to cheer him up a bit with her dry humor.

"Yeah, you're right. I've managed to move on in everything else, so why not this?" They had just reached Fox's quarters, and were now standing outside his door talking. "I guess I just need to realize that they're gone, and aren't going to come back. It happens, and I shouldn't begrudge the universe for making it happen to me." As he had this epiphany, he carefully destroyed the Stick-It note on his door, setting a mental reminder to talk to Falco in the morning. He tucked the crumpled note in his back pocket, hoping Krystal hadn't noticed. "You should get some sleep. I'm sure you'll be wanting to visit some old friends and places once we land, so you'll need the rest." Krystal nodded and smiled. They parted with a goodnight kiss, and went to their respective rooms for the night.


End file.
